On July 1, the Department of Labor issued an interim final rule that increases the civil penalty amounts that may be imposed under various federal laws, including the ERISA. The interim final rule increases the civil penalty associated with:

Failing to file an annual Form 5500 (as applicable) – Up to $2,063 per day

On May 18, 2016, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced a final rule regarding overtime wage payment qualifications for the “white collar exemptions” under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).
The final rule increases the salary an employee must be paid in order to qualify for a white collar exemption. The required salary level is increased to $47,476 per year and will be automatically updated every three years.

The final rule will be published in the Federal Register and take effect December 1, 2016. Initial increases to the standard salary level (from $455 to $913 per week) and the HCE total annual compensation requirement (from $100,000 to $134,004 per year) will be effective then.

Good stuff in May’s LWWW – Did you know May is National Stroke Awareness month? And according to a University of Oregon study, only 3% of Americans are living a healthy lifestyle, physicians are being urged to find alternatives to opioids and more…

In the HR world, the New Year means federal compliance requirements and constant deadlines. So, our partners at ThinkHR wanted to help you bring in 2016 with an articulate chart providing important summaries of federal posting rules. We advise that all employers also verify their applicable state posting requirements (ThinkHR customers can review these on a state-by-state basis in ThinkHR Comply).

Employee handbooks are an essential aspect of any company. Handbooks provide insight into a company’s culture and sets expectations for all new hires, as well as keep current employees compliant. Many busy or growing companies may not realize how often an employee handbook needs to be updated, as employment laws and regulations are constantly changing – is your company handbook up-to-date?

Although not all employers are legally obligated to provide paid vacation, it has become a common business practice to do so. In addition, some states now have laws that mandate certain types of paid time off, such as sick time. Regardless, to remain competitive, most employers offer at least some amount and type of paid time off,